Hypodermic-solution container



Feb. 1 1927; l `1,616,274

H. K. MULFORD v HYPODERMIC SOLUTION CONTAINER Filed Aug. 13, 1926 Patented' Feb. l, 1927.

UNITED STATES 1,616,274 PATENT OFFICE.

HENRY K. MLFORD, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNORi T0 NATIONAL DRUG C0., OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, 'A CORPORATION 0F PENNSYL- V ANIA.

HYPODERMIC-SOLUTION CONTAINER.

Application led August 137 1926. Serial No. 128,921.

f ables the sterilization of the skin or site of injection, by rubbing the top of the stopper over the skin, at the site of injection, prior to the injection,

It is Well known to those skilled in the arts of medicine and surgery, that points of hypodermic' needles or. analogous instruments must be maintained in an absolute antiseptic condition, so as to be used without danger of infecting the patient, and

" it is also known that solutions such as vaecine, antitoxin. 4or other medicinal or surgical liquids which are to be injected hypodermicallymust be kept absolutely uncontarninated by foreign agencies, or otherwise, the solution when injected hypodermically may of itself cause infection.

The principal objects of my invention are, to provide a doubly sealed container ior hypodermic or analogous fluids, so a1'- ranged that after the removal of an outer closure carrying a disc or pad impregnated with a suitable germicide, the point of a hypodermic needle or analogous instrument may be readily inserted through the top of the stopper into the fluid for the purpose of withdrawing it from the container uncontaminated by exterior agencies, while at the same time sterilizing the instrument which is inserted into the container. since said instrumcnt passes through a film of the ger-- micideon the top oi said stopper; to protained sealed against the atmospherev by a double-seal, as hereinafter explained, thereby preserving the antiseptic character of the closure for an indefinite period; to vide a double sealedclosure of the class described, which. is capable of being readily pierced' by the point of a hypodermic needle or other instrument in order to insert the same 'into the solution in the container; to provide a double sealed closure of the type last described and having a stopper of such character, as to admit of its being pierced by a hypodermic needle, whereby upon the removal of the needle the mass or body of said stopper will at once assume its normal function as a seal for the container; to provide a doubly sealed closure of the class described, the eliciency of which is not seri` ously impaired by either a single insertion of the hypodermic needle, or by a plurality of such insertions before the antiseptic character of the seal is destroyed; and finally to provide a novel container closure of the class' described of simple design and economical to manufacture, and wherein upon the removal oil the outer closure, the top surface ot' the double seal stopper is at all times impregnated with a film of the germieide or antiseptic carried by the pad in said closure so that said top can be readily applied without further manipulation to the desired part of the human body to render the same aseptic.

My novel device is sanitary vand efficient, and entirely dispenses with a swab or applicater contained in a hollow closure in the neck of the container, such as have heretofore been employed.

To the above ends my invention consists of a container and a novel closure, with a double seal therefor in which hypodermic solutions may be retained in bulk, and from i which any desired quantity may be with drawn by the introduction of the needle of a hypodcrmic syringe, provision being made for excluding atmospheric-'air from the solun tion in the container and for preventing the needle of the syringe carrying bacteria or infectious matter into Ithe container during the operations of extracting" the contents therefrom,

For the purpose of illustrating my in vention I have shown in the accompanying drawings lorrns thereof which are at pres ent preferred by me, since they will give in practice satisfactory and reliable results, although it is to be understood that the various instrumentalities of which my invention consists can be variously arranged and organized and that my invention is not limited to the precise arrangement and organization of these instrumentalities as herein shown and described.

Figure 1 Arepresents a vertical sectional view of a" hypodermic =solution container and closure therefor embodying my inven tion.

Figure 2 represents a perspective view of the double seal closure, prior to the formation of the outer pendant annular liange thereon.

Figure 3 represents on an enlarged scale a perspective view of the outer cap or closure, showing the antiseptic pad or dise therein.

Figure 4 represent-s on a reduced scale-a vert-ical section of the container seen in ligure 1 with the outer closure removed showing also the manner of using the hypoderinic needle.

Similar numerals of reference indicate corresponding'parts in the figures. Referring to the drawings 1 designates a suitable bottle or container for hypodermic solutionsl which is pref eraby made of glass or similar material having the required aseptic properities and 2 designates my novel closure therefor comprising a hollow stopper 3 which has' a readily perforable top membrane. of porous rubber and ahollow pendant portion which lits snugly and extends into the major portion of the neck 4 of the bottle. The stopper 3 is initially provided with an exterior shoulder 5, see Fig. 2, and in its initial form has an upper tubular extension 6, which after the insertion of the stopper or plug portion 3 into the mouth of the container is deflected outwardly and downwardly around the upper exterior of the neck of the container so as to form an annular outer pendant flange or skirt 7, which hugs the neck tightly and forms a semi-permanentdouble seal or Aclosure therefor.

The stopper 3 and its extension 6 which subsequently forms thc pendant, annular, tight fitting flange '7 is preferably made of rubber or similar material, and it will be apparent from the construction seen in Figures 1 and /l that the contents of the container are effectively sealed and kept uncontaminated from the foreign agencies by a double seal since the hollow stopper 3 extends throughout the major extent of the neck ot' the container, and in addition the outer annular pendant resilient Hange. 7 tightly hugs the outer periphery of the neck of the bottle so as to effectively seal the contents thereof.

8 designates the outer cap or closure which comprises the cylindrical or shell like body portion 9 having a plurality of upper indentations 10, which frictionally engage the pendant resilient flange 7 at a plurality of points, whereby said closure isretained in position. The upper, outer peripheral portion of said closure is knurled as at 11 and to the inner surface of the top 12 of the closure is permanent-ly or fixedly secured the antiseptic disc or pad 13 which is impregnated with a suitable germicide and is constantly in contact-with the top surface 14 of the stopper 3 when the closure 8 is in place, as'seen in Figure 1v i The pad 13 may be secured by any suitable a-dhesive material to the closure 8 and the shoulders 18 of the indentations 10 also secure the pad in position, so that said pad and closureare removable as a unit, as will be understood from Fig. 3, whereby upon their removal the top surface 14 of the stopper having a film of the germieide or steriliziug material thereon is immediately accesible for application to the desired part of the human body to render the same aseptic.

15 designates the needle of a hypodermic syringe 16.

In practice after the hypodermic solution has been initially introduced into the previously sterilized receptacle 1, the plug portion of the stopper 3 is forced tightly into the mouth of the container, so as preferably to occupy the major portion of the neck thereof. The tubular extension 6, seen in Fig. 2, is then deflected downwardly to form the outer pendant, annular sealing fia-nge 7 which tightly hugs the neck of the container so that the latter is sealed exteriorly and interiorly throughout practically the entire length ,of its mouth and neck, the mouth of the container being sealed at its top and down it sides by the annular pendant fiange 7.

reason of the double seal afforded by the inner wall of the stopper 3 and the outer, annular, pendant tiange 7, the mouth of the container is obviously effectively' and doubly sealed in a semi-permanent manner against contaminating agencies. As the outer closure or cover 8 has the pad or disc 13 per-- inanently or fixedly secured thereto by means of the indentations of the cap holding the antiseptic firmly in position in the top of the corel'. as will be understood from Figs. l and 3. it will he apparent that when said. closure is placed iu iiiosition. as seen in Fig. l, the indented portions l() will he positioned 'opposite the top bead 17 of the bottle. as' seen in Fig. 1. and will spring inwardly and tightly and fixedly engage the contiguous portions of the flange 7 which are immediately below said upper bead.

By this construction, the antiseptic pad 13 is held with the requisite tightness against the top 14 of the stopper 3, so that there will at all times be .a film ofl the germicide upon the top 14. In orderto withdraw the-charge of the solution by/"means of a hypodermic syringe or needle, the closure 8 with its pad 13 is removed from the container. The nose or vpoint 15 of the needle is thrust forcibly through the elongated body portion of the stopper 3 until it enters the solution a sufficient distance to permit the withdrawal of the proper amount' of the fluid therein.

Prior to the needle 15 assuming the position seen in Fig. 4, it will be understoodthat the effect of pushing the poi-nt or nose of the needle through the antiseptic film on the surface 14 will be completely to sterilize the point of thev needle and such.' part of its length as comes in contact with the film of the disinfectant carried within the outer surface at the top 14 of the stopper 3, which is a readily perforableV body of rubber.

After the mechanism of the needle has been properly manipulated to draw up the required charge of fluid in the container 1,

the nose of the syringe, .is withdrawn, and

the closure 8 replaced in the position seen in Fig. 1.

lt will be obvious that, owing to the semipermanent engagement of the plug 3 and the.

pendant flange 7 withv the upper portion or mouth of the container, the solution therein contained is uncontaminated by outside agencies and will retain its original properties 'for an indefinite period of time.

The -container l may be of suflicient capacity to receive a number of hypodermi'cv doses or injections and a succession of antiseptic charges of iuld may be successively removed from the container in the above described manner without destroying the hermetically sealed character of the receptacle closure.

This end is attained by making the top of the stopper 3 of soft rubber of the requisite thickness so that when the point of the needle is withdrawn, there will be a sufficient .thick-ness, which `will immediately close up and restore the seal to its original efficiency,

character; wherein there is only a relatively thinymembrane or .wall of rubber to be piercedby the nose or point of the needle.

y My present invention differs from prior, devlces having a removable pendant swab since dispense with such swab entirely, and use a stopperhaving inner and outer, ann lar, pendant, resilient flanges, which tilightlyhug the 4top ofthe bottle and the vised a new and useful hypodermic solution container, which embodies the features of advantage Venumerated as desirable in the statement of the invention and the above description, and while I have, in the present inst-ance shown and described forms thereof which will give in practice satisfactory and reliable results, it is to be understood that such preferred embodiments are susceptible of modification in various particulars, without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention or sacrificing any of its advantages.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is f l 1. In a container for hypodermic solutions having an outwardly facing sealing mouth, a' stopper of readily perfor-able 1mpervious material closed at its top and having a pendant annular inner wall tightly fitting said mouth and provided Withan outer integral, pendant, annular resilient flange snugly engaging the top and outer periphery of said mouth., an outer closure for said stopper comprising a top, and an integral annular wall frictionally and tightly engaging the outer flange of said stopper, and a pad impregnated with an antirying bacteria into said container, and enl abling su'flicient antiseptic to be used in. rendering sterile the skin or site of inyectlon,

a unit.

2. ln a container for hypodermic'solutions having an outwardly facing sealing mouth provided with a top bead. an elongated stopper of readily perforable impervious material closed at its top and having a pendant annular inner wall fitting tightly in the major portion of the container neck and provided with an outer integrah'pendant, annular. resilient flange snugly engaging the top and outer periphery of said neck, an outer closure for said stopper comprising a top and an integral annular wall frictionally and tightly engaging the flange of ysaid stopper, a pad impregnated with an antiseptic positioned against the inner surface of said top and adapted normally to contact with the top of said stopper to form thereon a sterilizing lm, thereby .preventsaid closure and pad being removable as ing the needle from carrying bacteria intov press portlons of said outer pendant flange against the container neck.

3. In a container for hypodermic solutions having an outwardly facing'sealing mouth provided with a top bead, an elongated stopper of readily perforable impervious material closed at its top and having a pendant annular inner Wall fitting tightly in the major portion of the container neck and provided With an outer integral, pendant, annular, resilient flange snugly engaging the top and outer periphery 'of said neck` an outer closure for said stopper comprising a top and an integral annular Wall frictionally and tightly engaging the flange of said stopper, a pad impregnated with an antiseptic positioned against the inner surfa'e of said top and adapted normally to contact with the top of said stopper to form thereon a sterilizing film, thereby preventing the needle from carrying bacteria into said container, said closure and pad being removable as a unit, and inwardly deflected indentations in said closure adapted to compress portions cf said outer pendant flange against the container neck and said indentatious havmg upper shoulders engaging said pad to retain thev latter in position Within said closure.

4. In a container for hypodermic solutions, having an outwardly facing sealing mouth, a Stopper having a readily perforable impervious top tightly fitting said mouth and provided With an outer 1ntegral, pendant. annular resilient flange, snugly engaging the top and outer periphery of said mouth, an outer closure for said stopper comprising a top, and an annular pendant wall, frictionally and tightly engaging the outer flange of said stopper1 and a pad impregnated with an antiseptic` fixedly secured to the inner surface of the top of said closure and adapted normally to 'Contact with the topv surface of said stopper to form thereon an antiseptic film adapted to elect a sterilization of a hypodermicv needle while passing through said top of said stopper and also for enabling the sterilization of the skin or site of injection by the application of the lm of antiseptic carried by the top of the stopper, by direct contact of said stopper with the skin, said closure and pad being' removable as a unit. A l

, HENRY K. MULFORD. 

